background information - Irmgard Acupunctuur

Frequently Asked Questions

Do acupuncture needles hurt?

The needles used in acupuncture are much thinner than, for example, the needles used to draw blood. Therefore, you generally feel very little when they are inserted. Some acupuncture points, particularly in areas where there is little tissue, may be slightly sensitive when the needle is inserted. This usually lasts only for a brief moment.
If a needle continues to feel painful after it has been inserted, please always let me know. I can then adjust or remove the needle.
Do you feel nervous about being treated with needles? Please feel free to let me know. I can then use ultra-fine needles, so that you feel as comfortable as possible during the treatment.

What can I expect during my first acupuncture consultation?

An initial consultation takes approximately one and a half hours. I take plenty of time to ask you detailed questions about your symptoms and your overall health.
The symptoms you experience can be compared to the branches of a tree. To build as complete a picture of your symptoms as possible, I will also ask additional questions. This helps me gain insight into the underlying cause — the roots of the problem.
In addition, your body provides me with information through reflex zones in the body and by examining your pulse.
I would also like to know more about your medical history and, where applicable, the medications you are currently taking.
Based on all the information you provide, I will then propose a treatment plan and begin the treatment. Follow-up consultations last approximately one to one and a half hours.

What should I keep in mind when attending an acupuncture consultation?

To ensure that the treatment goes as smoothly as possible, there are a few things that are important to keep in mind:

Preferably wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Clothing that can easily be rolled up above the knee and above the elbow usually does not need to be removed during the treatment.
It is advisable to eat something well before your treatment, so that you do not become hungry during the consultation. However, having a completely full stomach is not comfortable either.
For your first consultation, please bring a list of the medications you are currently taking and any surgeries you have undergone, including the years in which they took place. This gives us more time for conversation during the consultation, and you will not have to recall all this information from memory.
For your first appointment, please also bring your health insurance card or your health insurance app.

How many acupuncture treatments will I need?

My aim is to genuinely help you make progress with your health. Not just to feel slightly better, but to achieve an improvement that you can actually experience yourself.
The number of treatments you need varies from person to person and depends, among other things, on the nature and duration of your symptoms. Acute complaints generally respond more quickly to treatment. Chronic complaints often require more time.
My goal is to achieve a noticeable improvement within a number of treatments. Once you experience a positive change, you can decide for yourself how you would like to continue with the treatments.

Can children also be treated with acupuncture?

Yes, children can also be treated with a form of acupuncture. Children may, for example, experience digestive problems, respiratory problems, infections, hyperactivity, sleep problems, eczema, ear infections, colds or bedwetting.
For children, I use a Japanese treatment method called Shonishin. This treatment is specifically adapted for children and is very gentle. No needles are inserted into the skin.
Special Shonishin instruments are used to gently stimulate the meridians and areas of the skin, similar to a light massage. To treat acupuncture points, a blunt instrument is placed against the skin and moved across it without penetrating the skin.
As a result, the treatment is generally very pleasant and accessible for children. Shonishin can even be used with very young babies.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, children have a strong natural capacity for recovery. By supporting this in an appropriate way, the body can be helped to regain its balance.

I am pregnant. Is acupuncture suitable for me?

Acupuncture can provide support for various complaints during pregnancy. It can also be used for concerns related to trying to conceive and for complaints following childbirth.
I take your pregnancy into account during treatment and know which acupuncture points can and cannot be treated during the different stages of pregnancy.

I take medication. Do I need to stop taking it when I start acupuncture?

No. Never stop taking medication on your own initiative when you start acupuncture. Initially, you should continue taking your medication as prescribed.
If your symptoms improve, you can discuss with the doctor who prescribed your medication whether it is possible and medically appropriate to reduce the dosage or, if applicable, stop taking the medication.

Is acupuncture covered by health insurance?

See prices.

Should I tell my GP that I am receiving acupuncture treatment?

You can let your GP know that you are receiving acupuncture treatment, but you are not required to do so. It can be helpful, however, for your GP to be aware of the different treatments you are receiving.

The Consequences of Poor Nutrition

irmgard background information, Lifestyle, Nutrition 5 August 20255 August 2026Alzheimer dementia, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, autonomic nervous system, cancer, cardiovascular disease, food, low-grade inflammation, lung diseases, neurological disorders, physical exercise, stress, type 2 diabetes, vascular diseases

I notice that people often panic when they accidentally put the wrong fuel in their car—like diesel instead of petrol—because they know it can damage the engine.
Yet, our supermarkets are full of foods that act like the wrong fuel for our bodies. Although our digestive engine also sputters, unlike a car, the body adapts and the consequences become visible later. How does that work?

The Body as a Garbage Dump

All the indigestible fuel that we consume, looks for a place to go in the body. But where is the rubbish dump?

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Like sludge in a ditch, this “indigestible fuel” thickens our internal fluids, such as blood, lymphatic fluid, and tissue fluids, disrupting their natural flow.
A clear example is seen in children with dairy intolerance: their bodies struggle to process dairy, and the normally clear nasal fluids turn into thick, green mucus. This visible change is just one way the body signals that something isn’t right.

Thickening of Bodily Fluids

The thickening of bodily fluids can occur in many forms, levels, and locations throughout the body. It can, for example, thicken, buildup and, manifest in various ways, including:
• Mucus (nasal congestion)
• Eczema (linked to impaired skin circulation)
• Asthma or blocked sinuses
• Vaginal discharge
• Elevated cholesterol
• Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Edema (fluid retention in tissues)
• Fat accumulation
• Gallstones
• Kidney stones
• Cancer

Where bodily fluids become so thickened that there is reduced flow and stagnation, low-grade inflammation can occur. You can compare it to the stinking sludge from a stagnant ditch.
You can read more about low-grade inflammation and the role of nutritionhere

When stagnation becomes severe, it can create isolated, energy-consuming systems that no longer communicate with the rest of the body—similar to how a clogged ditch becomes cut off from surrounding water.
This loss of regulation is one way to understand the development of cancerous growths.

The formation of fat can protect your body against toxins. Toxic substances are encapsulated by fat. That is why you gain weight from consuming foods with various added preservatives, colours, and flavours.

What Is Healthy Nutrition?

That’s the big question—and the honest answer is – it depends. What’s healthy for one person may not be ideal for another.
Digestion is a rotting and ripening process during which your digestion is assisted by about a kilo of gut bacteria. You can only digest what the gut bacteria recognize as food.
Many processed foods contain preservatives. Preservatives are substances that specifically prevent decay and ripening and thus hinder digestion as well. In addition to preservatives, colourants and flavourings are indigestible, and sugars are also bad for everyone’s digestion.

So, when you eliminate sugar and eat a varied and unprocessed diet (not from a package), you’ve already made a big step in the right direction!

Good nutrition is food that can be digested well, and we are very different in this as humans: some people digest fats very well, others fare better on proteins or carbohydrates, or combinations of these.

Therefore, it’s always good to check with yourself:
‘How does this settle in my stomach?’
Does it feel like a stone in your stomach, do you then suffer from gas or heartburn, or does the food leave you feeling nourished and energized?
And how long does that energy last? Do you feel satisfied for hours, or are you hungry again soon after?
Sometimes I get clients who eat very healthily and still have digestive problems. In such cases, it’s worth exploring deeper causes, such as food intolerances or allergies.

Body Fluid Flow

“Sludge” in the body can be caused by indigestible food, but the flow of body fluids also plays a role. Compare it to sludge that has less chance of sabotaging a well-draining ditch.

Exercise is, of course, an important factor for fluid flow. The more you exercise, the better the flow of your body fluids.

And don’t underestimate stress! Stress causes the body to contract, which reduces fluid flow and increases the likelihood of sludge buildup.
Furthermore, stress causes you to be constantly “on” and excessively in the fight-or-flight mode of your autonomic nervous system. This is detrimental to the resting state of the autonomic nervous system, which also includes your digestion. Therefore, your digestion can function less effectively under the influence of stress.
Chronic stress is a major stagnating factor that contributes to illness.

The reward of good nutrition:

In one form of acupuncture I practice, the effects of nutrition can be felt directly in the abdomen. I once treated someone who consistently experienced a sharp, stabbing pain deep in the abdominal area during several consultations. Despite treatment, the discomfort persisted. I shared my concern about a possible rumbling appendix. The client returned a few weeks later. The pain had disappeared like snow in the sun, and she had more energy. I asked her if she had changed her diet, and it turned out she no longer ate sugar. It was very motivating for her to notice the significant effect this had had so quickly.

Nutrition is therefore an important factor for your health, and when treatment is combined with an improved diet, the results for your health will be better and longer lasting.

PMT shopping

irmgard background information, Chinese medicine 6 November 20245 August 2026Hormones, Menstrual complaints, mood swings

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I notice the first signs that my period is about to start and decide to make a quick trip to the pharmacy. The shopping street is crowded. A gust of wind blows my hair into my face, and it feels like everyone is walking right in front of me. You almost feel like kicking them out of your way.

Does that sound familiar? Have you noticed how your mood can suddenly feel completely different just before your period?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is related to Liver energy.
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Liver energy ensures that blood flows to the right place in your body at the right time. When you exercise, more blood is directed to your muscles. When you eat, more blood flows to your digestive system. Around menstruation, the Liver takes on an additional responsibility: ensuring the smooth flow of blood during your menstrual cycle.

I like to compare Liver energy to bamboo. Bamboo wants only one thing: to grow! Its deep roots keep it firmly grounded. When a strong wind or another obstacle comes along, it bends with it and then naturally straightens again. Not because it fights against the wind, but because it remains true to its own direction of growth.

Healthy Liver energy works in the same way. It gives you the resilience and determination to overcome obstacles without losing sight of your own path.

When your Liver energy is balanced, you can effortlessly make your way through a busy shopping street on a Saturday. You weave around people without irritation and arrive at the pharmacy feeling calm and relaxed.

But just before your period, that balance can temporarily be disrupted. Because the Liver has to work harder to regulate the blood flow associated with menstruation, its energy can become imbalanced.

If Liver energy becomes excessive, every person in your way can feel like an obstacle, making you more easily frustrated or irritable. If Liver energy is too weak, the thought of dealing with the crowds may already feel overwhelming, and you’d rather stay home on the couch.

Acupuncture can help restore the balance of Liver energy. As a result, many women find that they feel calmer in the days leading up to their period, become less easily irritated, and move through this phase of their menstrual cycle with greater ease.

Make an appointment.

Making decisions from stress or from calm

irmgard background information, client experiences 20 August 20245 August 2026autonomic nervous system, menopause, stress

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A woman comes to me with menopausal symptoms. Her schedule is completely packed, and she constantly feels as though she has to do everything. After a number of treatments, she starts to feel more comfortable in her own skin and reconnects with her own needs.

One day she says: “I looked at my packed schedule and thought: this is ridiculous”.
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“I cancelled half of my appointments.”

At her next appointment, she tells me that she has also realised that her work no longer suits her. “Interacting with my clients completely drains me.” Not long afterwards, she has found a new job, with people and tasks that actually give her energy.

When you remain in a prolonged state of stress, you often lose touch with your true needs. Your nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight mode, and many choices feel like things you have to do.

Only when your nervous system has a chance to settle down does space arise to feel what you truly need. You no longer act from a sense of “having to”, but from who you really are.

Acupuncture can help calm the nervous system, creating space once again for recovery, relaxation, and reconnecting with yourself.

Make an appointment.

Headache puzzle

irmgard background information 20 August 20245 August 2026food, headache, posture, stress

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The image above illustrates five possible causes of headaches.

Headaches can, for example, be caused by:
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Diet: refined sugars, certain food additives, or foods you are intolerant to can trigger symptoms. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, this can be seen as placing an additional burden on the Liver, which is involved in processing and eliminating waste products.

Medication: headaches can be a side effect of certain medications.

Poor posture: because of your work or simply out of habit, you may unconsciously adopt poor posture. This can place prolonged strain on the muscles in your neck and eventually lead to headaches.

Vision problems: when you cannot see clearly, you may unconsciously squint or strain your eyes. This often leads to a forward-leaning posture, placing extra strain on your neck and shoulders.

Stress: when you are stressed, you often unconsciously raise your shoulders and tense the muscles in your neck and shoulders. This can create tension and reduced circulation in the neck area, resulting in headaches.

Not drinking enough: dehydration can also cause headaches.

Because headaches can have so many different causes, there are also many different ways to treat them.
That is why I take the time to ask detailed questions first. I look not only at the complaint itself, but also at the possible underlying cause and at the person sitting in front of me. This allows me to tailor the treatment as closely as possible to what you need.

Headaches can be effectively treated by acupuncture.

Make an appointment.

Treat at an appropriate frequency

irmgard background information, client experiences 20 August 20245 August 2026frequency, pain, scar

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“I’d like you to come for treatment six times a week”

This is the first and, to date, the only time in my acupuncture practice that I have ever made such a proposal.
Normally, I treat clients with pain complaints once or twice a week in the beginning. In this way, the treatment can build on the effects of the previous treatment and you will ultimately need fewer treatments.

But this case is exceptional:
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this young student cut her index finger on a broken glass and the scar fused with the nerve. Although the scar and nerve were separated, two years down the line the nerve pain still shoots from the finger to the shoulder. It’s impossible for her to sleep for more than an hour at a time becauseof the pain. She has difficulty planning activities, because the pain might resurge and then she is unable to do anything.

So, I begin treatment on the healthy finger. The pain immediately subsides for a few hours and then returns. When I treat her again later in the week, the pain has returned in full force. This calls for drastic measures. I tell her that treating her twice a week will not bring any lasting results and that it will be a waste of time and money if I keep having to go back to the starting blocks after each treatment.
When I propose treating her six times a week, she decides to go for it!

So, she comes for treatment six times a week for two weeks, then the following week she comes three times, followed by two treatments the week after that.
The treatment stops and except for a very slight stinging sensation in her index finger, which she can live with, the nerve pain has completely disappeared. She can sleep again and is pain-free for a year.

But after a year, she comes back to the practice because the pain has returned in full force. We immediately start treatments six times a week, but this time the pain does not significantly lessen with each treatment. So, my conclusion is that there must be something that structurally continues to irritate that nerve. I tell her that I think that there might still be glass in that finger.
Her surgeon checks it out and discovers that there are still two pieces of glass in her finger.They are removed and at Christmas I get a card from her saying that she is doing well now.

This anecdote illustrates the importance of a well-coordinated frequency of treatment. It also proves how effective acupuncture is without directly pricking the painful area. And it shows that acupuncture can’t eliminate mechanical blockages.

Therefore both Chinese and western medicine care are essential.

Toyohari, beneficial and powerful

irmgard background information 20 August 20245 August 2026toyohari methode

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“I trained in an acupuncture style that was developed by blind acupuncturists.”

My client looks at me in surprise and says, “So… is it like pin the tail on the donkey?”

I laugh. Fortunately, it’s nothing like that.

It’s called Toyohari,
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a style of acupuncture developed in Japan by blind acupuncturists. Because they couldn’t rely on their eyesight, they developed an exceptionally refined sense of touch. This led to a subtle treatment method in which palpation and sensitivity are at the heart of the practice.

In Toyohari, I work very gently on the surface of the skin. The needle does not penetrate the skin, and no needles are left in place. Even so, the treatment is remarkably powerful and effective.

Precisely because it is so gentle and virtually painless, Toyohari is especially well suited for highly sensitive people and for anyone who feels anxious about needles.

Make an appointment.

Irritability MOT

irmgard background information, client experiences 20 August 20245 August 2026short temper, yin yang

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Someone comes in for an ‘MOT’ because she has a very short fuse and is extremely restless. She comes to the practice regularly because she really struggles with this. One day she comes in and she is boiling over.
She has just retired and I ask her what she is doing differently than usual because the inner turmoil is now at the max.
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She says that she exercises intensively every day and then goes to the sauna.

Now I understand what’s going on and I can explain it to her step by step using the meaning of Yin and Yang:

Yin is the dark side of the mountain
and Yang Is the sunny side of the mountain.

Yin is cold
and Yang is warm.

Yin – cold becomes a more physical, solid presence (just like water turns into ice under the influence of cold)
Yang – heat becomes increasingly rarefied (like water turns into steam under the influence of heat)

The bodily fluids are Yin (matter).
The moving energy and the mind are Yang (rarefied).

Yin and Yang balance each other in the body.
If there is a lack of Yin, there is a lack of bodily fluids.
Then Yin can no longer control the Yang in the body.

If Yang is not under control, the tenuous moving energy flies out of control. This manifests itself in great restlessness or in rising heat in the form of hot flashes or short tempers.

If you exercise fanatically every day and go to the sauna, you lose a lot of bodily fluids and therefore a lot of Yin. And that, in this case, causes Yang to boil over.

Can acupuncture cure everything?

irmgard background information 20 August 20245 August 2026

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When Acupuncture Can Help

Acupuncture can help treat many more complaints than most people realise.

It can be helpful for complaints caused by an imbalance in the body, where restoring that balance may support recovery.

When an imbalance is left untreated, it can become increasingly entrenched over time.
Once a process has become too firmly established in the body
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for example, in the case of a calcified shoulder or large gallstones — acupuncture is no longer the right tool.

Sometimes, however, acupuncture can still provide relief when a process has become established. One example is using acupuncture to help relieve nausea during chemotherapy.

Honest Treatment Advice

I am not always the best person to treat you. Sometimes, depending on the nature of your complaint, I believe you may be better helped by, for example, a musculoskeletal specialist, a naturopathic dietitian, a trauma specialist, Pilates excercises or your GP.

If I think you would benefit more from a different approach, I will always discuss this openly with you. Together, we can then look at suitable alternatives.

My starting point is simple: I want to help you as effectively as possible. If acupuncture is not the right treatment for your complaint, I will tell you honestly. I don’t believe in keeping you coming back when I don’t think I can genuinely help you.

Read patient testimonials.

Should I believe in acupuncture?

irmgard background information 20 August 20247 August 2026

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One day, I was giving a talk for Vrouwen van Nu, a Dutch women’s organisation. During the Q&A, someone asked whether you have to believe in acupuncture for it to work.

My answer was simple: no, you don’t.

After the talk, we continued our conversation.
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She told me she had received acupuncture treatments for a year without any improvement. Then she asked, somewhat hesitantly, “Maybe I just didn’t believe in it enough?”

I told her that animals are treated with acupuncture too. They obviously don’t believe in acupuncture, yet they can still respond to treatment. Whether acupuncture works has nothing to do with belief.

Sometimes a treatment works well; sometimes it doesn’t. If I find that a course of treatment isn’t helping, and an alternative acupuncture approach doesn’t make a difference either, I stop treating. I don’t attribute a lack of results to a lack of belief.

What I do think is important is that you remain open to your own experience. I appreciate it when you share your observations with me, so that together we can assess whether the treatment is giving you the results you can reasonably expect.

Moving Forward Begins with Standing Still

irmgard background information, client experiences 20 August 20245 August 2026body awareness, burn out, stress

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In the winter of 1997, I was at the starting line of the Elfstedentocht, the famous 200-kilometre Dutch ice-skating tour. I witnessed a remarkable scene.

A sporty-looking man in his forties could hardly wait for the race to begin. As soon as the starting signal was given, he stepped onto the ice. With powerful, rapid strokes, he gave it everything he had. In his mind, he was already well on his way to the finish.

Only… he wasn’t moving an inch.

People standing nearby shouted to him in the local Frisian dialect, “Hé jeu, dou hest dien skaatsbeskermers nog oan!” (“Hey, you’ve still got your skate guards on!”)

It took him about a minute before he realised what had happened. With legs already burning from the effort, he removed the plastic guards from his skates and continued his journey.

I often think of this incident when I treat people returning to work after burnout.
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One man I worked with was dreading his first day back. He had prepared himself carefully. His plan was simple: focus only on the tasks that really mattered and leave everything else for later.

But as soon as he opened his laptop, something entirely different happened. Within minutes, he found himself working on all kinds of low-priority tasks—the very things he had promised himself he wouldn’t do.

His mind was already focused on the finish line, while he had lost touch with his body.

I suggested a small experiment. Sitting in my practice, he opened his laptop again. This time, I first asked him to notice where he felt tension in his body.

“Around my diaphragm,” he said.

Next, I asked where he felt calm.

“In my feet.”

Then I invited him to sense the connection between his diaphragm and his feet. As soon as he did, he noticed his breathing becoming calmer, and he felt much more at ease sitting behind his laptop.

That is exactly the difference.

When you return to work, you don’t have to run the entire marathon on day one. By first arriving in your body, you avoid starting that marathon with a sprint that immediately puts your nervous system into stress mode.

Just as the skater could only move forward after taking off his skate guards, you can only truly move forward when your mind and body are working together again. From that place, you can find a pace that is sustainable—without exhausting yourself in the very first miles.

Make an appointment.

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